6 Types of Software Performance Testing & Activities

If you are new to performance testing, you will naturally have a lot of questions. You want to know about the types of testing that are to be done, how to be successful on the job and what you can expect to do. This brief introduction to performance testing will answer all of these questions and provide you with a clear picture what performance testing is.

Getting to Know the Testing Environment:

Before you start any kind of performance testing, it is essential that you get to know your testing environment well. You must know whether you will work on a team or alone, and you need to find out whether the environment is structured or agile. Additionally, it is an absolute necessity to get to know the manager of your testing project, his likes and dislikes and what he expects of you. Having knowledge about your testing environment will facilitate better success.

Types of Software Performance Testing

There are a number of software tests that fall under the umbrella of performance testing. These are:

1. Load Testing:

This testing process is intended to see how a specific application will behave when placed under a heavy load, such as when thousands of users are using the program all at once.

2. Stress Testing:

This kind of test is for the purposes of seeing how well a software program performs when used at maximum capacity.

3. Spike Testing:

This specific test is helpful in order to determine how the system may behave when a load is increased suddenly. An example of such a test is that the system may start out with 500 users, and then the number is sharply increased to 2,000. The behavior is monitored during this increase to see whether the system will hold up or fail.

4. Endurance Testing:

This particular test is so developers and testers can get an idea how the application behaves under continuous stress, such as if thousands of users use the application for an extended period of time.

5. Isolation Testing:

This type of test is designed to isolate specific problems by repeating a test that has been known to cause a problem previously.

6. Configuration Testing:

Configuration testing is used to determine where bugs are in the application’s overall development and observe how the application behaves when configuration changes are made.

Depending on the application being tested, some or all of these tests will have to be performed.

Activities Typical for Performance Testing

When an application must undergo performance testing, there are several activities that must take place. Objectives are set by project managers concerning which testing goals need to be met. Tests are designed specifically for the program in question. The tests are then executed, results are analyzed, and reports are drafted up and sent to the developers for review.

Now that these questions have been answered and you have a clearer picture as to what you can expect when working as a performance tester, you will be in a better position to embark on this career journey. You will also have an idea as to which direction you will need to go when acquiring more knowledge on the subject, as this introduction has undoubtedly given you a foundation from which to start.

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